By then, numerous whirlpools had appeared on the sea.
These whirlpools had nothing to do with the currents. Like a host of ghosts, they had appeared out of nowhere.
Just as Yang Qing and the others were about to take shelter in the cabin, the scene on the sea changed.
Their ship now sat directly above the largest whirlpool.
The whirlpool kept growing, as though it would swallow the entire ship without leaving a trace at any moment.
The ship began rocking violently as well.
Qian Tong's body, which the sailors had carried aside to take back to Outlying Island for burial, was flung into the sea amid the violent jolting.
The people of the seafaring households were born at sea, grew up at sea, and returned to the sea after death.
For Qian Tong, this could at least be considered a fitting resting place.
Yet as Yang Qing watched Qian Tong's body slide into the sea, an unreadable emotion flickered in his eyes.
Qian Tong must have concealed quite a few things from them, but now he was dead, and those secrets had been buried at sea along with him.
That feeling lingered in Yang Qing's heart for only an instant, however. Soon, the commotion outside drew all his attention.
The whirlpool grew larger and larger, and from the whirlpools surrounding their ship emerged numerous sea beasts unlike anything Yang Qing and the others had ever seen.
"Monsters! The monsters are coming out!"
The sailors aboard had heard many legends about Immortal Island.
There were sea beasts around Immortal Island—very strange sea beasts.
It was as though they had been born solely for Immortal Island, guarding it against intrusion from anything outside.
Of course, before today, the sailors had never known whether those stories were true. They never sailed